The Netherlands’ Utrecht University has made history by becoming the first academic institution in the Western world to implement a full academic boycott of Israel.

The landmark decision, announced by Rector Wilco Hazeleger, follows months of sustained pressure from students and staff demanding action over Israel’s conduct in Gaza.

In a statement issued at the start of the new academic year on Monday, September 1, Hazeleger confirmed that the university has “effectively stopped or suspended all institutional collaborations with Israeli parties and will not start any new collaborations.” The boycott will remain in place “until further notice.”

Describing the move as a “moral necessity,” Hazeleger acknowledged the severity of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. “The situation in the world, and in Gaza in particular, requires us to act with a moral compass. There is great human suffering,” he said.

While reiterating the importance of academic freedom and open dialogue, the rector drew a clear line between academic cooperation and complicity in state violence. “It is also clear when there is genocidal violence and a line has been crossed.”

While Utrecht’s leadership has acknowledged the inherent tension between academic collaboration and ethical responsibility, Hazeleger concluded that the scale of the crisis demanded decisive action. “This is a moment when the university must stand firmly on the side of justice and human dignity,” he said.

The decision follows months of persistent campaigning by Utrecht University students and staff, who have held demonstrations and issued formal appeals demanding the institution sever ties with Israeli academic bodies in protest of Israel’s military operations in Gaza and its occupation of Palestinian territories.

The university’s stance aligns closely with the goals of the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI), which welcomed the move.

In a statement posted online, PACBI called the boycott “a historic step that shatters a long-standing taboo in Western academia,” adding that it represents the fruit of “principled, strategic work by students and university staff.”

The campaign group has urged other institutions across Europe and North America to follow Utrecht’s example. “University administrators have no excuses,” PACBI said. “Basic ethical principles and the rulings of the International Court of Justice require urgent action in response to the Palestinian call for boycott until Israel ends its assault on Gaza and respects fundamental Palestinian rights.”

Israel launched its latest military campaign in Gaza on October 7, 2023, following a surprise operation by Palestinian armed groups. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, the conflict has since claimed the lives of at least 63,633 Palestinians, with more than 160,000 injured.

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